Peter rode back to the others on Elizabeth's horse. Ho soon recovered himself, and began to boast about the runaway horse. The three children rode home and gave Elizabeth's message – whilst poor Elizabeth had to walk Tinker home for a very long way.
The little girl was tired and upset. Something dreadful might have happened – Peter might have fallen from the horse and been badly hurt! Why had she let him ride Tinker without first getting Robert to say he could? Well, it was Robert's fault for being late for the gallop! Her heft hand hurt her. She had got hold of Tinker's reins with it when she had tried to stop him, and somehow her wrist had been twisted. She tucked it into her coat, hoping it would soon be better. She was very miserable as she walked back over the fields and lanes, leading a tired and steaming horse. The stableman was not pleased. Robert came running out when he saw Elizabeth coming back, and he was not pleased either.
«Elizabeth! I've heard all about it! How could you be so silly as to let Peter ride Tinker! I couldn't help being late. Mr. Johns kept me to do something for him. You might have waited! This wouldn't have happened then, for I would never have let Peter ride Tinker in that state. You are always so impatient and cocksure of yourself!»
Elizabeth was tired and her hand was hurting her. She burst into tears.
«That's right! Be a baby now!» said Robert in disgust. «I suppose you think that if you cry I'll be sorry for you and not say any more! That's just like a girl! It's a good thing for you that neither Tinker nor Peter have come to any harm!»
«Oh, Robert, don't be so unkind to me», sobbed Elizabeth. «I've hurt my hand, and I can't tell you how badly I feel about letting Peter ride Tinker.»
«Let's have a look at your hand», said Robert, more kindly. He took a look at the swollen wrist. «You'd better go right away to Matron. That looks pretty bad to me. Cheer up! It's no good crying over spilt milk!»
«I'm not!» said Elizabeth, wiping her eyes. «I'm crying over a runaway horse and a hurt wrist!»
And off she went to find Matron, nursing her hurt hand. Poor Elizabeth! Things always happened to her.
Chapter 25: Elizabeth Is Very Tiresome
Elizabeth went to find Matron. She was in the Sanatorium with two ill children there. She came out when Elizabeth knocked at the door.
«What is it?» she asked. «You can't go in!»
«I know», said Elizabeth. «I've twisted my wrist and I thought perhaps you could do something for it.»
Matron looked at the swollen wrist. «That must hurt you quite a lot», she said. «How did you do it?»
Elizabeth told her. Matron soaked a bandage in cold water and wrapped it tightly round the hurt wrist.
«Will it soon be better?» asked Elizabeth. «It's a good thing it's not my right hand.»
«It will take a little time to get right», said Matron. «Now, keep it as still as possible, please. And look – I will make you a sling out of this old hanky – like that – round your shoulder. That will help a bit.»
It was past tea-time by now. Matron took Elizabeth into her own room and made some toast. Elizabeth was tired and pale, and although she said she didn't want anything to eat, she couldn't help thinking that the buttered toast looked rather nice. So she soon ate it up and drank the cocoa that Matron put before her. Then she went off to the common – room. Everyone was waiting to hear what had happened. Joan ran to her at once.
«Elizabeth! Is your hand badly hurt?»
«Well, it hurts a bit now», said Elizabeth, «but it's not nearly as bad as it was, since Matron bandaged it. It's all my own fault, as usual! I was impatient because Robert was late and I saddled Tinker for Peter – and Tinker ran away.»
«Poor old Elizabeth!» said Jenny.
Robert said nothing. He sat reading a book. He still looked cross. There came a knock at the common-room door and small Peter poked his head in.
«Is Elizabeth here?» he asked. «Oh, there you are, Elizabeth. I say – how's the wrist? I'm awfully sorry about it. I suppose you won't be able to play the piano for a little while now.»
Elizabeth hadn't thought of that for one moment. She stared in dismay at Peter. «Oh, my goodness!», she said. «I had forgotten that. Oh dear – and I so badly wanted to practise hard this week, and now I've only got one hand!»
Everyone was sorry for her. Robert raised his head and looked solemn. «Bad luck, Elizabeth!», he said. «I hope your hand will be well enough to play at the concert.»
Elizabeth was upset. She felt the tears coming into her eyes and she got up quickly. She hated people to see her crying. She went out of the room and went into one of the little music-rooms. She sat down at the piano and leaned her head against the music-rack. She was angry with herself for doing something silly that had ended, as usual, in bringing trouble on herself.
Richard came along humming. He didn't see Elizabeth at the piano, and switched on the light to practise. He was surprised to find her in the dark, all alone.
«What's the matter?» he asked. «What are you crying for?»
«Because what you said has come true», said Elizabeth sadly. «You told me I was getting conceited about my playing – and that pride comes before a fall. Well, you were right. I did something silly, and now I've hurt my wrist and I can't play the piano, so I don't expect I'll be able to play duets with you at the concert.»
«Oh, I am sorry!» said Richard, in dismay. «Now I suppose I'll have to play them with Harry, and he's not nearly so good as you. Oh, Elizabeth – what bad luck for you!»
«You shouldn't have said pride comes before a fall!» wept Elizabeth. «I feel as if you made this happen!»
«Oh, don't be so silly», said Richard. «No, really, that is silly, Elizabeth. Anyway, cheer up – it may not be as bad as you think. I'll play to you, if you like. Get up and let me come on the stool.»
Elizabeth got up. She went to the chair in the corner and sat down, tired and cross. She didn't like Richard, she didn't like Robert, she didn't hike Peter and his runaway horse, she didn't hike herself. She didn't hike anybody at all! She was a cross, unhappy, tired girl who didn't want to be pleased with anything or anybody! But Richard's music made things much better. The little girl's frown went away and she leaned back feeling happier as the soft notes of the piano fell in the silence of the little room. Richard knew exactly what music to play to comfort her.
She stole away in the middle of his playing and went back to the common-room. Perhaps her wrist would be better by the next day. Perhaps she was making a fuss after all. The others hooked up as she came in.
«Come and do this puzzle with me», said Kathleen. «I can't find the bits that go just here.»
Everyone was kind to her, and Elizabeth was grateful. But she was glad when bedtime came, for her legs ached and her wrist still hurt her. Matron had a look at it and bound it up again.
«Keep it in the sling», she said. «It won't hurt so much then.»
Elizabeth hoped it would be better when she awoke in the morning. But it was still swollen and tender, though it did not hurt quite so much. She couldn't possibly play the piano with it! It was too bad! And then Elizabeth found how difficult it is to do even the most ordinary things with one hand instead of two! She couldn't tie her hair-ribbon! She couldn't tie her shoe-laces! She couldn't wash herself properly. She couldn't do up a button. She couldn't even seem to blow her nose easily.
The others did what they could for her, but Elizabeth was not easy to do things for. She wouldn't stand still – she jerked her head about when Joan tried to do her hair. She stamped her foot when poor Kathleen tried her best to do up the buttons of her blouse and got them all wrong.
«Oh dear – you've gone back to being the little girl who had a little curl right down the middle of her forehead!» sighed Joan. «And you're being very, very horrid!»
«Well, so would you be if this had happened to you!» said Elizabeth, in a rage. «If it had been my right hand I could at least have missed all the exams next week – but as it is I'll be able to d
o the exams, and have to miss the things I really love, like gym and riding and music! Oh, it's just too bad!»
In a few days' time Matron said Elizabeth could use her hand again – but alas for Elizabeth, she seemed to have no strength in the hurt wrist, and did not dare to use it much. The doctor said she must do what she could with it, and that gradually it would be all right – but she must be patient.
Well, that was just the one thing that Elizabeth couldn't be. She was upset and she showed it. She was annoyed and everyone knew it. She was furious because Richard was now practising the duets with Harry. And when she found that she couldn't be in the play because her part, which was that of a soldier, meant doing some drilling and exercising with a wooden gun, which her wrist couldn't manage – well, that was just the last straw! The Form were worried about Elizabeth, and disappointed in her. They talked about it.
«She's just getting crosser and crosser», said Jenny. «Nobody can do anything with her. She can't help thinking about herself and the nice things she's missing all the time. It is bad luck that she can't even play games. She does love them so.»
«Let's think of some things for her to do», said Joan sensibly. «There's George in the San, getting better. Couldn't Elizabeth go and read to him? Then there's all the programmes to make out for our play. Elizabeth is awfully good at designing things like that. Let's ask her to help us. She can easily do it with her right hand. And there's those gold crowns we have got to make – Robert says he'll make them – and surely Elizabeth could paint them with gold paint?»
Everyone agreed that it would be a good thing to get Elizabeth to do a few things so that she might forget her crossness. So one by one they went to her and asked her for her help.
Now Elizabeth was sharp, and she soon guessed why the children were suddenly asking her to do things for them. At first she felt that she would refuse – why should she do things for them when she couldn't do anything nice for herself at all?
Joan saw her face, and took hold of her arm. «Come along with me», she said. «Let's have a talk, Elizabeth. I'm a monitor now and I have a right to tell you a few things and to help you.»
Elizabeth went with her into the garden. «I know all you're going to say», she said. «I know I'm behaving badly. I'll never be a monitor like you, I'll never be able to forget myself and not mind when things go wrong.»
«You're a goose, Elizabeth», said Joan patiently. «You don't know what you can do till you try. There are only two weeks left of the term. Don't make them miserable for – yourself. We all like you and admire you – don't let a little thing like a hurt wrist spoil our liking and admiration for you. You really are being rather trying. Everyone has been as kind and patient as possible. You make things very hard for your friends.»
Elizabeth kicked a stone along the path. After all, why should she make things horrid for her friends when her hurt wrist was her own fault and nobody else's? It was rather feeble of her. She took Joan's arm.
«All right, Monitor!», she said. «I'll help you all I can. I'll do the programmes – and read to George – and paint the gold crowns. If I can't be a sport for two weeks I'm not much good!»
«It's just because you're such a strong person really that we don't like to see you suddenly being awfully weak», said Joan. «All right – now do your best for us, Elizabeth!»
Once Elizabeth had really made up her mind to do something she could always do it. She could be just as patient as she could be impatient. She could be just as cheerful as she could be cross, and in the very next hour her friends saw the difference! She set to work on the programmes. She could manage to hold the paper with her left hand, and it was quite easy then to draw and paint with her right. Soon she had done half a dozen excellent programmes and the whole Form came to admire them. Elizabeth was pleased.
«Now I'm going to be a good girl and go and read to George», she said, smiling cheerfully round. And off she went, leaving the others laughing.
«She can be a monkey but you can't help liking her!» said Jenny. And everyone agreed!
Chapter 26: A Marvellous Surprise!
The last week of the term came. Exams were held every day, and the children worked hard. Elizabeth, Robert, and Kathleen worked the hardest of all, for each of them wanted to do well. Elizabeth longed to be top of her form, and so did Robert.
Kathleen wanted to be top in something, she didn't mind what!
“It would be so lovely to tell Mother I was top in something” thought Kathleen. “I'm always so near the bottom – and Mother has always been so perfectly sweet about it. It really would be a marvellous surprise for her if I could do well in something.”
Elizabeth's wrist was much better, but she still could not use it for playing the piano, and neither was she allowed to go riding, to play games, to dig in the garden, or to do gym! It really was very hard luck indeed.
She was in the songs at the concert, but not in anything else. She was not in the play and she was not playing with Richard. Harry was taking her place.
She tried to be cheerful, and she did not let anyone see how miserable she sometimes felt. She had pulled herself together, and was doing all she could to help the others in every way. She had painted the crowns marvellously for the play, and had even painted some trees for the scenery. Everyone thought they were wonderful. She had done twelve programmes, the best that had been done in the school. Miss Belle was to have one and so were Miss Best and Mr. Johns. Elizabeth was proud of that. She had been to read to George and to play games with him every day till he had come out of the San. She had done lots of little jobs for Matron. She couldn't help John in the garden as she had been used to doing, but she wrote out lists of flower seeds for him, ready for the spring, and listened eagerly when he told her all he and Peter had been doing.
«She's really being a brick!» said Joan. «There's good stuff in our Elizabeth! She can be the naughtiest girl in the school – but she can be the best girl too!»
Elizabeth went to watch the hockey and lacrosse matches, and cheered the players, though deep down in her heart she felt very sad because she too was not playing. It was awful not to be able to do any of the things she liked so much.
«You know how to grin and bear things, Elizabeth», said Richard. «I'll say that for you!»
Nothing that Elizabeth had ever done made the School admire her as much as they did the last weeks of the term. Everyone knew what a fiery, quick-tempered child she was, and they knew how hard it must be for her to be cheerful, patient, and helpful. They were proud of her.
The school concert came. It was a most exciting afternoon. All the parents who could come, came to hear it. Mr. and Mrs. Allen were there, and were going to stay at a hotel the next day so that they might take Elizabeth back with them. Elizabeth flew to meet them, and they hugged her in delight. They were sad to hear that her hurt wrist prevented her from taking any real part in the concert, but they loved the programme she presented to them.
«I did it for you», said Elizabeth proudly. «Do you like it? The Heads have my programmes too. And Mummy, please notice the gold crowns in the play, because I painted them – and the trees too.»
The concert was a great success. The play was funny and made the audience laugh loudly. Jenny and Kathleen were thrilled, because it was they who had written it out for their form. Richard played the violin most beautifully, and he and Harry played the duets that Elizabeth had been going to play.
She felt sad when she heard them, but she made her face smile all the time, and clapped hard at the end. She saw Jenny, Joan, Robert, and Kathleen watching her, and she knew that they were proud of her for being able to smile and clap, when inside she was very disappointed.
At the end of the concert the results of the exams were given. Elizabeth listened with a beating heart. So did Robert and Kathleen. Jenny did not care much – so long as she was somewhere near the top, that was all she minded! Kathleen cared much more. She knew she had done her best, and she hoped she wouldn't be too near
the bottom!
At last Miss Belle came to Elizabeth's form. «Miss Ranger says that this form has done exceedingly good work», she said. «Some of the children have been surprisingly good. First come Elizabeth Allen and...»
But Miss Belle couldn't go on, because a storm of clapping interrupted her. Everyone seemed to be delighted that Elizabeth was top! Robert clapped hard too. How he hoped that he would be second! He had half hoped he might be top – but never mind, he might be second!
Miss Belle held up her hand for silence. «Wait a moment», she said. «Let me finish what I had to say. First come Elizabeth Allen and Robert Jones! They have tied for first place, so they are both top.»
Robert sat up straight, his face bright with surprise and delight. So he and Elizabeth were top together! That was almost better than being top by himself. Elizabeth was sitting just behind him and she bent forward and clapped him on the back.
«Robert», she said, her face beaming, «I'm awfully pleased! I'd rather be top with you than top by myself, honestly I would!»
Robert nodded and smiled. He couldn't speak because he was so pleased. He had not such good brains as Elizabeth, so he had had to work really hard to win his place – and how proud his father and mother looked! Miss Belle read down the list. Jenny was fourth. Joan was fifth, and both girls were pleased. Kathleen was sixth, well away from the bottom – and she had top marks in history! Her cheeks glowed as she heard Miss Belle read that out. She was fairly near the top – and she had the best marks in history. What would her mother say to that? Kathleen stole a look round the big gym, and saw her mother's face. One look at it satisfied Kathleen. Her mother was looking as happy as anyone in the room.
“I can't think what Whyteleafe has done to my little Kathleen” her mother was thinking. “She looks quite different. She was always such a plain child, poor little thing, but now she's really pretty when she smiles – and how happy and bright she looks with all her friends!”